


i even hear the mountains

by comediafinitaest



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: BUT ANYWAY SCREW YOU RICK, Character Death, Depression, Grief, Hurt Nico di Angelo, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Mourning, Nico Feels, Will Solace is a Ball of Sunshine, YOU REALLY JUST STABBED ME IN THE HEART RICK, these tags are a bag of fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26472859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comediafinitaest/pseuds/comediafinitaest
Summary: "“He was the only one,” Nico gasps for air, still choking on sobs. “He never… why did it have to be him?” It’s the one thing he can’t understand. Things had been okay. Leo was back. Percy and Annabeth were attending school in New Rome. Hazel and Frank were happier than ever. But no matter how many deaths Nico has seen, how many deaths he’s made sure took place, he can’t get over the fact that it’s all completely random. There is no way to avoid death. It happens and there’s nothing he can do about it. There was no way to save Bianca, and there’s no way to save Jason."or, the events that take place after nico finds out about jason's death T-T
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace, Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	i even hear the mountains

**Author's Note:**

> I have been DYING to write this ever since i read the tyrants tomb...... which was like a year ago.... but still...... anyway who wants to join me in raiding rick's house and stabbing him with a spear??????????

Nico has not left his cabin in two days.

_ The phone call comes on a bright, sunny morning. Nico is brushing his teeth, heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. It’s the day of his first date with Will. Right now probably isn’t a good time, with Apollo out questing and all, but both of them have been waiting for this. _

_ He’s just finished spitting out toothpaste and wiping his face when the dingy TracFone sitting on his nightstand rings loudly. It’s quite the surprise: he usually doesn’t get many calls, especially not early in the morning, when most people who would actually bother to ring him up know he’s probably sleeping. _

_ Nico stumbles over, tapping the green button and slapping the phone to his face without bothering to see who it is. “H--,” he clears his throat, “hello?” _

_ “Nico…” Annabeth’s voice wakes him right up. Her voice is heavy with sorrow. “Have you heard? Jason is dead. He’s  _ dead, _ oh gods…” He can hear her crying. Percy’s voice is somewhere in the distance. _

_ “What?” Nico asks, terror gripping his heart in a cold fist. “Annabeth, what happened? What did you say?” She doesn’t answer. “Annabeth.” _

_ “Two days ago. He was killed. Caligula  _ murdered _ him. I still can’t believe it…” _

_ “I…” There’s too much to process. Jason is dead. Jason is dead. He hangs up and throws the phone across the cabin. _

Now that Nico thinks about it (it’s really all he’s been able to think about), there had been signs that he had stupidly decided to ignore. A few weeks ago, Hazel had mentioned Jason on the phone and Nico felt a sudden pang in his stomach, lasting only for less than a second. And two days ago, the supposed time of death, he had had a migraine that made his head feel like it was about to split in two. But he had ignored it, walking off to Will like the idiot he was and asking for medicine.

They all should have seen it coming. Hell,  _ Nico _ most of all. His father is the god of  _ death. _ The prophecy had said that one of them was going to die. No matter how hard everyone had tried to push the thought away, Leo had cheated. The world wasn’t finished with them yet.

But still…  _ why Jason?  _ Why the only person who never judged Nico, who didn’t act like he’d just seen a wild jungle animal whenever Nico appeared? Why did it have to be his  _ friend? _ The thought is twisted and selfish, but why couldn’t it have been Leo instead? Nico will never let it show, but he still hasn’t really gotten over the suspicious glances the boy would send him on the  _ Argo II. _ The glances that made him feel like an outsider. Yet Nico still treated Jason coldly at times, refusing to sit at his table or play a round of Uno when the memories of Tartarus, of Bianca’s floppy green hat and bright smile were too strong. 

_ You don’t get anything,  _ Nico had snarled at Jason, when all he was trying to do was befriend Nico.  _ You’re everyone’s golden boy.  _ And then Nico ran away, ran away like he always did. 

Jason was the friend Nico loved the most, but now it’s too late to say anything. 

——-

Three sharp knocks land on his door later that afternoon. Nico is not in the mood. 

“I’m busy,” Nico snaps, barely loud enough for the imbecile who decided to knock on his door to hear. “Please leave.”

“No,” Will Solace’s voice declares bluntly. Of course it’s him. “I’m not leaving. Unlock the door, now.”

Will’s chosen the wrong time to come. Nico doesn’t have the energy to get up, nor the energy to talk. So he glares at the pitch-black walls of his cabin and wraps his blanket tighter around his body, not saying a word. 

Three more loud, slow knocks echo through the room. It’s silent for a few moments before Will starts rapidly whacking the door with what sound like the palms of his hands. 

Nico is embarrassingly close to bursting out in tears of frustration. “Will! Stop it, seriously!” The knocks continue. “I’m going to murder you if you don’t stop!”

“You have to open your door if you wanna murder me!” Knock, knock, knock. 

Tears finally prick at Nico’s eyes. “Please, just leave me alone.” His voice decides to crack in the middle of the sentence. “I don’t want to talk right now,” he manages to call out, turning over to bury his face into his pillow. 

The knocks stop abruptly. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I’m sorry,” Will says, tone softer. “I won’t be here for more than a few minutes, I promise.”

God, why does Will have to sound so guilty? He has, yet again, successfully made Nico cave. He sits up, rubbing at his eyes for a few moments before tossing his blanket to the side and walking to the door. 

The light that invades his cabin the moment he pulls the door open makes him feel sick for some strange reason. Maybe because it’s a reminder that things will keep going no matter how long Nico chooses to wallow in his dark cabin. The world will keep spinning and Jason Grace will never come back. 

“Hey, Death Boy,” Will Solace says, eyes crinkling as he smiles. To Nico’s surprise, there is no comment on his pitiful, messy appearance. “Mind if I come in?”

Nico shakes his head, keeping his gaze pointed towards his feet. He walks back to his bed and plops down, Will doing the same. A moment of silence passes between the two. 

“You know, everyone’s getting really worried,” Will informs him. “We haven’t seen you leave your cabin in two days.” He pauses. “Have you been okay?” he asks cautiously. “Getting enough sleep? Eating right?”

Nico is too exhausted to roll his eyes. “Um… not really,” he mumbles, voice hoarse. “Sorry.”

Will sighs. “Right. How about we go get something to eat? McDonalds is ridiculously unhealthy… but I suppose I’ll make an exception for you.”

_ I suppose we can make an exception,  _ Nico had told Jason the day Nico had announced his plan to stay at camp, and then they had hugged. It was the first hug Nico had received in ages. 

The dam breaks. 

Nico starts bawling like a baby, gasping and clawing at his face. He can’t just go out and sit at a McDonalds booth when Jason is  _ dead.  _ The thought ceaselessly echoes in his brain. Jason is dead. Jason is dead. 

“I can’t-- I--” The sobs won’t let him breathe. Before Nico can say  _ stop, you’re not supposed to see this, _ Will’s warm arms are around him, chest acting as a pillow for his head.

“It’s okay,” Will mumbles into his hair. He’s lying… but the lie gives Nico more comfort than he’d expected. It’s not surprising that Will knows exactly why Nico has been such a mess. Jason’s death shook the entire camp to its core. 

“He was the only one,” Nico gasps for air, still choking on sobs. “He never…  _ why did it have to be him? _ ” It’s the one thing he can’t understand. Things had been  _ okay. _ Leo was back. Percy and Annabeth were attending school in New Rome. Hazel and Frank were happier than ever. But no matter how many deaths Nico has seen, how many deaths he’s made sure took place, he can’t get over the fact that it’s all completely  _ random. _ There is no way to avoid death. It happens and there’s nothing he can do about it. There was no way to save Bianca, and there’s no way to save Jason.

“I’m sorry,” Will whispers, pulling back a little. His blue eyes, a darker shade than Jason’s, flit across Nico’s face. “I wish I could heal this, take away your pain… but there are some things that aren’t in my power.” Nico can feel a hand rubbing up and down his back. “I’m so sorry.”

Nico nods, not because he’s okay, but because he doesn’t like the fact that there are now tears streaming down Will’s face, too. “Thank you,” he says, though it sounds more like a mouse’s squeak than a human’s voice. 

Will sniffles and leans back, rubbing his eyes. It’s the first time Nico has ever seen him cry. He doesn’t like the sight of an upset Will. 

“Nico,” Will says, after he’s finished wiping away his tears. “Jason… he wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself. Please, don’t do this to yourself.” He’s silent for a moment before letting out a loud sigh. “Jason would kill me if he found out that I told you, but after he realized that we’re dating, he pulled me to the side  _ while I was working _ and gave me a good ten-minute long speech about how he would flay me if I hurt you.” Will chuckles fondly, shaking his head. “He really cared for you, Nico.”

All Nico can do is nod vigorously as his throat tightens in another choked-out sob. “He’s  _ gone, _ Will,” he gasps. “He…”

Will doesn’t hug him this time but he does reach out and place a hand on his knee. “I’m sorry,” he says for the thousandth time, even though the apologies won’t bring Jason back. “Hey, how about you try to get some sleep? I’ll stay here, I’m done for the day in the infirmary.” Nico doesn’t respond. “You look exhausted,” WIll adds.

Nico nods. The sobbing has died down, leaving an ugly, visceral emptiness in its wake. He feels nothing, and for once he doesn’t mind. He lays back down and turns to the wall, away from Will, only half awake when he feels a blanket being pulled over him. 

The emptiness apparently comes with bone-deep exhaustion. It doesn’t take much time for Nico to drift off into a dreamless sleep as the eternal flow of time continues, stopping for no one. The world spins, and Jason remains dead.

**Author's Note:**

> well there it is. comment on typos and inconsistencies pls. let me know what you thought in the comments and all that jazz. and most of all it's been a while since i read any pjo books, so please point out any uncanon moments or whatever they're called. thanks for reading <333333333
> 
> (ps title is from consummation of grief by charles bukowski :D)


End file.
